Lemekh's Monologue/2/en

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Lemekh's Oration

Exegetical Approaches

Response to Killing

Lemekh shares with his wives his feeling about killing others.  Commentators disagree whether he is expressing regret or boasting.

Regret

Lemekh either shares with his wives his regret over having killed, or defends himself by pointing out that it was an accident.

Why is Lemekh telling his wives?
  • Lemekh is expressing his sadness to his wives that he killed two people – R. Saadia Gaon, Seforno, HaKetav VeHaKabbalah.
  • Lemekh is defending his action to his wives, claiming it was an accident or that only he will suffer not them – Tanchuma, Rashi, Abarbanel, R. D"Z Hoffmann.
  • Lemekh is asking his wives to calm him down, because he didn't intend to kill a man and child – Netziv.
Lemekh's tone
  • Lemekh said to his wives sadly but sincerely that he killed a man and a young boy, and he regrets these actions – R. Saadia Gaon,1 Abarbanel, Seforno, HaKetav VeHaKabbalah, Netziv, R. D"Z Hoffmann.2
  • Lemekh is asking rhetorically, sure of himself that he did nothing wrong, "did I kill a man and a child that I deserve a punishment?", obviously not, these were killed accidentally – Tanchuma, Rashi.
Who did Lemekh kill ("אִישׁ" and "יֶלֶד")? According to R. Saadia Gaon, Netziv, and R. D"Z Hoffmann, Lemekh didn't kill any specific people,3 just mistakenly a man and a child.4  But according to the rest of these commentators following Tanchuma, Lemekh killed Kayin and his son, Tuval Kayin, thinking Kayin was an animal, and Tuval Kayin as he clapped his hand.5
What is "לְפִצְעִי" and "לְחַבֻּרָתִי"?
  • The wound was the cause of death of the man and child – Tanchuma followed by a few commentators.  Lemekh is defending himself that he just intended to wound the people not to kill them.
  • The wound is Lemekh's wound – Abarbanel, Seforno.  Abarbanel says Lemekh is telling his wives that he will suffer the punishment for killing the people not them, but Seforno says that by killing his ancestor and son he wounded himself.
  • HaKetav VeHaKabbalah
Comparison to Kayin
"לָכֵן כָּל הֹרֵג קַיִן שִׁבְעָתַיִם יֻקָּם"
Purpose of the story

Boasting

Lemekh is proud of his ability to kill.

Why is Lemekh telling his wives? Most of these commentators simply say Lemekh was boasting to his wives about his capabilities, but the opinion cited in Biur elaborates bringing the background to this statement.  He says that during Lemekh's time there was a lot of violence going on, and people needed to build walls and make swords to protect them, their wives, and property from being stolen.  Therefore Lemekh was proud that now he is not afraid of anybody because he could kill them easily using a sword.
Lemekh's tone – According to this approach Lemekh is not covering up the fact he killed a man and a child rather he is proud that he can kill a man and a child.
Who did Lemekh kill ("אִישׁ" and "יֶלֶד")? Ibn Kaspi and Cassuto say Lemekh had killed somebody in the past and that is what he is showing off about.  Though the opinion cited in the Biur and Shadal and Immanueli say Lemekh is showing off that he can kill people using the swords he taught his son how to create, but not that Lemekh had yet killed someone.  Immanueli explains Lemekh is ready to kill any person, and it makes not difference if he is a man or child.
What is "לְפִצְעִי" and "לְחַבֻּרָתִי"?
  • Lemekh is boasting that he is ready to kill any person who hurts him even if the person just wounds him – Ibn Kaspi, opinion cited in Biur and Shadal, Immanueli.
  • Lemekh is boasting that he can kill a person just from wounding him – Cassuto.
Comparison to Kayin
"לָכֵן כָּל הֹרֵג קַיִן שִׁבְעָתַיִם יֻקָּם"
Purpose of the story

Calming of Wives' Fear

Lemekh is calming down his wives who fear he will be killed for inventing weapons or being the seventh generation from Kayin.

Potential Death of their Children

Why is Lemekh telling his wives? Lemekh's wives did not want to have children, either because they were worried there will be a flood and their kids will die,7 or they feared their kids will be killed for being the seventh generation from Kayin.  Therefore Lemekh is calming them down that he did not kill anybody that he should be wounded and his children killed.
Lemekh's tone – Lemekh is asking rhetorically, did he kill someone that he shall receive a punishment for doing so.
Who did Lemekh kill ("אִישׁ" and "יֶלֶד")? These commentators explain Lemekh did not kill anyone.  Rashi and Ralbag say "אִישׁ" and "יֶלֶד" refers to Hevel, and Lemekh is asking whether he killed a young man like Kayin killed Hevel.  R"Y Bekhor Shor says Lemekh is not referring specifically to what Kayin did rather he is just asking in general if he killed someone.
What is "לְפִצְעִי" and "לְחַבֻּרָתִי"? Most of the commentators understand Lemekh to be asking if he deserves wounds because he killed someone, though Ralbag says the wounds are part of the question, if he killed a person or wounded a person.
Comparison to Kayin
"לָכֵן כָּל הֹרֵג קַיִן שִׁבְעָתַיִם יֻקָּם"
Purpose of the story

Punishment of Lemekh for Inventing Weapons

Why is Lemekh telling his wives? Ramban explains Lemekh taught everyone of his children a certain craft, and Tuval Kayin he taught how to make weapons.  He interprets the verses to be a response to Lemekh's wives, who were afraid he will be punished because he invented weapons, so he is responding to them that killing with a weapon is better than killing by wounding.
Lemekh's tone – Ramban explains like many other commentators that Lemekh did not kill like Kayin did.
Who did Lemekh kill ("אִישׁ" and "יֶלֶד")? This approach holds that Lemekh didn't kill anybody at all, rather just invented weapons.
What is "לְפִצְעִי" and "לְחַבֻּרָתִי"? Ramban understands that killing by wounding a person is worse than killing with a sword.  Lemekh is protecting himself that his invention is not bad.
Comparison to Kayin
"לָכֵן כָּל הֹרֵג קַיִן שִׁבְעָתַיִם יֻקָּם"
Purpose of the story

Reaction to Wive's Squabbles

Why is Lemekh telling his wives? Lemekh's wives were always squabbling and fighting with each other, and Lemekh is asking them to be quiet.
Lemekh's tone
  • Questioning his fate – R"Y Kara, Shadal.  Lemekh is asking if he killed someone that he deserves a punishment of never having quiet in his house.
  • Threatening his wives – Radak, Ma'asei Hashem.  Lemekh is threatening and scaring his wives that if they don't keep quiet he will kill them.